The present invention relates to a thermosensitive image transfer recording medium for reproduction of full-color images by thermal image transfer recording.
A conventional thermal image transfer recording method using thermofusible inks comprising a thermofusible material, for instance, wax, and a coloring agent has the following shortcomings:
(1) Since the inks penetrate an image receiving sheet when colored images are formed thereon, the quality of color reproduction is poor, and the reproduced colors tend to become dark. PA1 (2) When images are formed by superimposing different colors, non-printed dot-shaped voids tend to be formed in the transferred images so that poor quality images are produced. PA1 (3) When transferred images are rubbed, the images are easily spread, so that the background is smeared. PA1 (4) When images are transferred to a sheet of paper having a relatively rough surface, the quality of the printed images becomes considerably poor. PA1 (5) When high speed printing is performed by the conventional thermal image transfer recording method, the quality of printing images becomes considerably poor.
In order to eliminate the above-mentioned shortcomings, inks having high melt viscosity have been proposed. However, when such inks are used, the superimposing of the inks with different colors cannot be performed smoothly so that color reproduction is no good. Furthermore, when inks having high melt viscosity are used, the surface of the printed images is not so smooth that images with poor color contrast are produced and the thus produced images are not suitable for use with transparent originals for over-head projectors.